Workshops

Saturday, May 28 • Hyatt Regency Washington

1:30–2:45 p.m. | Workshops Session One

We all know the fact by now that 1 in 32 Black women in the U.S. will become infected with HIV in her lifetime. And while the rate of new infections among Black women has decreased in recent years, new data show they continue to be far more affected by HIV than women of other races/ethnicities – after 30 plus years of the epidemic. We must take this opportunity to bridge the disconnect surrounding the factors driving infection rates among Black women and other women of color.

We must support Black women and motivate them to take control of their sexual and reproductive health, and to increase their level of self-awareness and understanding of the personal, cultural and societal barriers that may be placing them at increased risk. We cannot ignore the intersectionality of factors such as poverty, relationship violence, access to service and the divisiveness that exists among impacted populations. We can’t allow ourselves to be pitted against one another for the resources, funding and treatments that are essential for us all.

The Black Women’s Health Imperative, working in coalition with other area women’s health and advocacy organizations, proposes convening a listening session during DC Black Pride as an opportunity to open up the dialogue; hear and learn from community members and identify strategies that move the needle toward achieving the shared goal of improving outcomes across key issue areas in DC.

The goal will be to identify and seize opportunities for leveraging the collective influence of the strong network of passionate, committed community advocates and activists in securing a sustained focus on key Black women’s HIV-related issues.

Positively Fighting Medication ResistanceGlacier

Presenter: Dr. Theo Hodge

Medication resistance is a risk that many face, even if they don’t realize it. In this workshop, Dr. Theo Hodge, an infectious disease specialist and active member of the positive community, will provide crucial information about the risk of developing drug resistance. With this information, we hope you are inspired to consider all your options and engage with your healthcare team to find a treatment that is right for you.

Town Hall: Transgender Speak BackYellowstone/Everglades

Presenters: Earline Budd & Earl Fowlkes

The Town Hall is an opportunity for members of the Transgender community and their allies to discuss the impact of the President and local elections on the Transgender Community. Are the issues and concerns being heard by the political systems both locally and nationally? How can Transgender women and men get involved in politics? What’s at stake in the 2016 election for the Transgender Community. Fowlkes will be co-moderating in his capacity as LGBT Caucus Chair of the Democratic National Committee and will be joined by Community Activist, Earline Budd.

2:45–3:45 p.m. | Workshops Session Two

Thirty-five years ago, HIV activists of all types banded together with a simple message: silence equals death. While we've made tremendous strides in the fight against HIV since then, there is still much more work to do. Your voice remains critically important to finishing the job. Join this session for a brief overview of the current realities of HIV and to learn how storytelling can be an effective way change hearts and minds, whether they belong to a conflicted neighbor or an uninformed elected official. Participants will have the opportunity to flex their storytelling muscles and to receive constructive feedback from the presenter and their peers.

TransENDing BoundariesYosemite

Presenter: Lambda Legal

Transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) communities are underrepresented in the current struggle for LGBT equality. However, they are often targeted and

discriminated against more than their LGB counterparts, especially concerning issues of workplace discrimination, violence, interaction with law enforcement, accessing nonjudgmental and quality healthcare, and utilizing public accommodations. In this workshop, Lambda Legal will facilitate an interactive discussion of some useful strategies and tools to combat the aforementioned problems. This workshop is geared toward allies and members of TGNC communities.

You’ll Sleep Me But Won’t Talk to Me

Yosemite

Presenters: Terrance Payne and Ken Pettigrew, ManDate

A frank discussion about the interaction of BGM/SGL men within and outside the community. Much has been made of the use of social media to interact with one another often sexually however, has conversation become a lost art? This workshop will explore the positives and negatives of today’s use of social media to communicate.